Rocky Hill Resident Appointed to Make-A-Wish® Connecticut Board

Recently nominated by New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker to be the city’s new chief administrative officer (CAO), Regina Rush-Kittle began her professional career in law enforcement with the state Department of Correction in 1983, then as a police officer in Middletown in 1985. She was the first Back female officer on the Middletown police force and the first Black woman to be named sergeant, lieutenant and major with the state police, where she served for 30 years.

Rush-Kittle most recently served as Deputy Commissioner of the state Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security from 2019 to 2021.

A graduate of the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Rush-Kittle enlisted in the U.S. Marine Reserves while in college and was deployed with the U.S. Army to Kuwait in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2009, earning a Bronze Star Medal. In addition, she earned her master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Western New England College in 1997, received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of New Haven in 2019 and was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame (CWHF) in 2017.

In line with making a difference and giving back, Rush-Kittle held Board leadership positions with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and is still an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, Veterans of Foreign Wars and both the University of Connecticut and University of New Haven Alumni Associations. She shares that she is committed to “focus on the most precious members of any society or culture - our children. Children that for no reason that we can explain, may not always have an opportunity in their lives to “make a wish.”

“We are thrilled to have Regina join our team,” exclaims Make-A-Wish® Connecticut President and CEO Pam Keough. “It is not every day that we are privileged with the opportunity to have the leadership knowledge and expertise that Regina brings, and we are excited to be the recipients of her energy and insight.”

ABOUT MAKE-A-WISH CONNECTICUT

Make-A-Wish® Connecticut creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because every child deserves a childhood. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illnesses. Together, generous donors, supporters, staff and volunteers across the state unite to deliver hope to wish kids and their families when they need it most. In total, Make-A-Wish Connecticut has granted more than 3,600 wishes to local children. For more information about Make-A-Wish Connecticut, visit wish.org/ct.